Religious Tension Erupts at Jahangirnagar Festival

A religiously sensitive incident disrupted the Heem Festival at Jahangirnagar University on Friday night, raising concerns among students and prompting administrative intervention. The episode occurred on the university’s Sculpture Courtyard stage, where a performance by singer Eshaq Sarkar sparked controversy over remarks perceived to hurt religious sentiments.

Eyewitnesses report that during the song performance, a student from the Department of Environmental Science, Fazle Rabbi, approached the stage to protest and voiced his objections through the microphone. This led to a verbal confrontation between Rabbi and some students as well as event organisers. In an attempt to restore order, other students escorted Rabbi away from the stage.

Despite the initial disruption, the event continued for a period without further incident. However, a group of students later gathered near the Shaheed Minar monument to demonstrate, chanting slogans condemning what they described as “religious disrespect.” By around 2 a.m., several students moved to the Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan’s residence, where the Vice-Chancellor reassured them that the preliminary report by the Proctorial Team would guide appropriate action. Following this assurance, the students dispersed peacefully.

University officials confirmed the incident and emphasised their commitment to addressing student concerns. Assistant Proctor Professor Abdur Razzak stated: “There was an issue at the start of the programme regarding a recitation from Surah An-Nas. Some students felt this hurt their religious sentiments, prompting one student to protest on stage. Event organisers removed him from the stage to maintain order, and tensions escalated briefly. We managed to calm the students, and they eventually left. The artist, Eshaq Sarkar, has since expressed regret over the incident.”

The administration has also pledged to ensure closer oversight in future events to prevent similar occurrences. Observers noted that the episode reflected both the students’ moral responsibility and their sensitivity to religious issues.

The table below summarises the key details of the incident:

The incident has prompted reflection within the university community regarding the balance between artistic expression and respect for religious sentiments, and organisers have committed to enhanced supervision of future cultural programmes.